http://www.t-i.org.uk The Transatlantic Institute, a London-based educational charity, promotes and facilitates a new understanding of international issues, free of political partisanship and institutional bias. Our website lists events, publications, and commentary on international issues. en-uk Copyright The Transatlantic Institute 2004-2008. Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:30:00 GMT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss info@t-i.org.uk info@t-i.org.uk http://www.t-i.org.uk/georgia26aug08.php Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:30:00 GMT Commentary on the Russia/ Georgia war by Ziba Norman, 26 August 2008. President Medvedev has officially recognised Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. This move, taken in clear violation of international law and one with very clear advantages for Russia, marks the end of the first chapter of a story that began with an engagement between rebel separatists in South Ossetia and the Georgian army on 7 August, and ended with an invasion by Russia, supposedly acting as peacekeepers in the region. Russia Georgia Caucasus European Union energy security NATO Abkhazia South Ossetia East Turkistan China Azerbaijan Iran Black Sea http://www.t-i.org.uk/russiaschallengetonato.php Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:45:00 GMT Commentary on the Russia/ Georgia war by Ziba Norman, 18 August 2008. Russia can no longer hide behind the claim that she was operating as a peacekeeper in the volatile Caucasus. Russia's challenge to Poland is loud and clear, it is a challenge to all members of NATO and the EU. Russia Georgia Caucasus European Union Poland NATO http://www.t-i.org.uk/georgia15aug08.php Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:45:00 GMT Commentary on the Russia/ Georgia war by Ziba Norman, 15 August 2008. The next phase in this may be as dangerous as the last week, leaving a broken country in a state of chaos.... Russia Georgia Caucasus South Ossetia G8 WTO http://www.t-i.org.uk/russiamoretogain.php Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT Commentary on the Russia/ Georgia war by Ziba Norman, 10 August 2008. The movement of Russian forces into Georgia in the past few days is the most significant event since the end of the Cold War... Russia Georgia Caucasus South Ossetia Abkhazia NATO http://www.t-i.org.uk/publications.php Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT Article by Rashad Shirinov on the US missile defense shield. Original publication: Caucasian Review of International Affairs (Spring 2008). Karl Marx used to say that history repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. In line with this, the entire recent idea of a missile defense shield that the US has been willing to install in Eastern Europe is reminiscent of that of the Cold War era, when two major superpowers were targeting their strategic missiles towards each other... USA Russia missile defense shield deterrence Iran Anti-ballistic Missile Treaty Missile Technology Control Regime interceptor radar http://www.t-i.org.uk/azerbaijan-eandw.php Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT Article about Azerbaijan by Ziba Norman, 17 May 2007. In the geopolitical hotspot of Azerbaijan any semblance of calm is welcomed. So the prosperity that the country's estimated $140 billion in oil revenues promises to generate and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline have dominated the headlines, trumping more serious discussions about this complex nation struggling to find its identity... Azerbaijan Daghestan Chechnya Karabakh Armenia Caucasus http://www.t-i.org.uk/doesiranposeathreat.php Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:00:00 GMT Article about Iran by Ziba Norman, 19 April 2006. Game theorists are doing the calculus, claiming confrontation with Iran is all but inevitable. Israel, they say, might threaten a first strike nuclear attack, forcing the US to begin conventional military operations to avert an even more chilling scenario... Iran Iraq Israel USA Russia China nuclear attack http://www.t-i.org.uk/events.php Sat, 17 Feb 2007 00:39:00 GMT A forthcoming panel event to be held in London on Thursday 29 March 2007. Azerbaijan Armenia Karabakh Russia Caucasus http://www.t-i.org.uk/media.php Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:01 GMT The Weekly Standard (16 January 2006 issue) quotes Ziba Norman on how Russia's energy exports are being used as an instrument of Russian influence abroad. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/20/opinion/ednorman.php Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:00:01 GMT Summary: How wise is it of the U.S. and Europe to cultivate a dependence on Russian state-owned Gazprom? For Russia watchers, Gazprom's recent announcement that it plans to move into the United States, with designs to take a 10 percent market share for liquefied natural gas by 2010 and increasing that up to 20 percent as soon as production permits, should have come as no surprise. The move is part of a long-term strategy that is being skillfully executed by the Russian state-owned energy giant with the full backing of President Vladimir Putin. International Herald Tribune, 21 December 2005